What Is a Password? Explained for Kids

A password is a secret that only you should know. When you type it in, a website or app can tell that it is really you signing in, and not someone else.

What makes a password weak?

A weak password is one that is easy to guess. These are all weak:

• Short passwords, such as cat
• Common ones, such as password or 123456
• Your name, your pet’s name, or your birthday

What makes a password strong?

Long is strong. A long password is much harder to guess than a short one.

An easy way to make a long password is to join several unrelated words, with a number if you like. This is called a passphrase. For example: purple-tiger-eats-9-pancakes. Do not use that one. Make up your own.

One password, one place

Use a different password for each account. If someone learns one of them, your other accounts stay safe.

That is a lot to remember. Many families use a password manager, an app that stores passwords safely. Ask a parent about it.

Keep it secret

• Share a password only with a parent or trusted adult.
• Do not tell friends, even close ones.
• Never send a password in a message.
• If you think someone knows your password, tell an adult and change it.

Questions to talk about

• Why is a long password harder to guess?
• What would you say to a friend who asks for your password?
• Why should each account have its own password?